Burlington, VT – As Vermont sees the first snow of the season this week—especially along I-89—drivers are being urged to prepare for long, cold commutes. But imagine being trapped in your car for two months, surviving only on handfuls of snow.
According to the Daily Mail, a 44-year-old Swedish man was discovered in February 2012 after surviving roughly 60 days snowed-in inside his car near the town of Umea in northern Sweden. Authorities said his car became buried after a snowstorm on December 19, and he lived on snow alone as temperatures plunged to -30°C (-22°F).
Experts called his survival “extraordinary.” Some theorized his body entered a hibernation-like state, slowing his metabolism, while others credited the “igloo effect” of the snow-covered car, which helped insulate enough warmth to keep him alive.
When rescuers reached him, he was emaciated and barely conscious, wrapped in a sleeping bag with only cigarettes and comic books beside him. Doctors at Umea University Hospital confirmed he suffered from severe hypothermia and malnourishment—but somehow survived.
With early snowfall arriving before Thanksgiving, Vermont officials remind drivers to pack emergency kits with food, water, and blankets before heading onto icy roads. As winter tightens its grip, one chilling question remains: Could you survive stuck on I-89 for two months like he did?
